Patch cable management system

ABSTRACT

A patch cable management system for an optical waveguide distributing device includes a plurality of plus modules and/or splice modules mounted on a subrack. Each plus module and/or splice module is provided with a plurality of couplings for contact with optical waveguides on the front and rear. An electronic module provided with all the functions and componenty of a conventional backplane can be positioned at any desired location within the optical waveguide distributing device and connected to the plug moduels and/or splice modules to serve for the electronic addressing and localization of the plugged optical-fiber connections.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a National application claiming priority toInternational Application No. PCT/EP2002/013112, filed on Nov. 22, 2002,which claims priority to Germany Patent Application No. 20120192.5,filed on Dec. 13, 2001.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a patch cable management system for an opticalwaveguide distributing device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When setting up optical-fiber cable networks, distribution devices suchas for example distribution cabinets or distribution frames are requiredto ensure structured cabling. Generally a number of subracks arearranged within such optical waveguide distributing devices, eachsubrack preferably receiving up to twelve plug modules and/or splicemodules.

A patch cable management system with electronic localization of theplugged optical-fiber connections, that is electronic patch cablelocalization, is known. In the case of this known system, the plugmodules and/or the splice modules are pushed into the subrack—also knownas a module rack. On the rear side of the subrack there is a rearwall—known as a backplane—which supplies power and connects the datalines to the plug modules and/or splice modules. In addition, hardwiring serves for the electronic addressing of the inserted plugmodules. The use of such a rigid rear wall is disadvantageous, since ithas to be made to match the type of construction of the subrack withregard to its dimensions and other properties, and the flexibility ofthe patch cable management system is restricted as a result.

Against this background, the present invention is based on the problemof providing a novel patch cable management system for an opticalwaveguide distributing device.

The fact that the rigid back wall is omitted means that the patch cablemanagement system according to the invention is distinguished by greatflexibility. Also, retrofitting of existing patch cable managementsystems can take place in a simple way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred developments of the invention emerge from the descriptionwhich follows. Exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail on thebasis of the drawing[s], in which:

FIG. 1 shows a patch cable management system according to the inventionfor an optical waveguide distributing device, namely an opticalwaveguide distributing cabinet, in a perspective rear view on the basisof a first exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows the patch cable management system according to theinvention of FIG. 1 in a perspective front view,

FIG. 3 shows a patch cable management system according to the inventionfor an optical waveguide distributing cabinet in a perspective rear viewon the basis of a second exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 shows the patch cable management system according to theinvention of FIG. 3 in a perspective front view,

FIG. 5 shows a patch cable management system according to the inventionfor an optical waveguide distributing cabinet in a perspective rear viewon the basis of a third exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 6 shows the patch cable management system according to theinvention of FIG. 5 in a perspective front view,

FIG. 7 shows a greatly schematized block diagram to illustrate the modeof operation of the patch cable management system as provided by theinvention, and

FIG. 8 shows a patch cable management system according to the inventionfor an optical waveguide distributing cabinet in a perspective frontview on the basis of a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a patch cable management system according to theinvention on the basis of a first exemplary embodiment of the invention,FIG. 1 showing the same in a perspective rear view and FIG. 2 showingthe same in a perspective front view. FIGS. 1 and 2 show altogetherthree plug modules 11, which have been pushed into a subrack (notrepresented any further). The plug modules 11 have a front plate 12 anda supporting plate 13, which is orthogonal to the front plate 12. AsFIG. 1 reveals in particular, a number of couplings 14 for opticalwaveguides are arranged on one side of the supporting plate 13 of theplug modules 11. In the exemplary embodiment shown, eight couplings 14are provided for each plug module. More than eight couplings 14 per plugmodule may also be provided, as shown in the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 8.

The couplings 14 extend through the front plate 12 of the plug modules11, so that optical waveguides can be led from the front side of thefront plate 12 up to the plug module 11 and inserted into the couplings14, while a contact with another optical waveguide can be established onthe rear side. Edges 15 of the supporting plate 13 are formed in such away that the plug modules 11 can be pushed into guiding systems of asubrack. The plug modules 11 may additionally also be fastened by meansof bores 16 made in the front plate 12 to a frame (not represented) ofthe subrack (not represented).

According to the invention, an electronic module 17 is provided and canbe positioned as desired inside the optical waveguide distributingcabinet for the patch cable management system 10. A configuration of theelectronic module 17 in which the electronic module 17 can be pushedtogether with the plug modules 11 into the respective subrack ispreferred. If the subrack has a guiding system, edges 18 of theelectronic module 17 are adapted to the guiding system. In other words,the edges 18 of the electronic module 17 then correspond to the edges 15of the plug modules 11. The plug modules 11 and/or splice modules andthe electronic module 17 can be positioned at any desired locations andin any desired sequence or arrangement in the subrack.

Integrated in the electronic module 17 are all the functions orcomponents that in prior-art systems are integrated on the rigid rearwall—known as the backplane. For instance, the electronic module 17 hasa plug-in connector 19 for the connection of a power supply and aplug-in connector 20 for the connection of a data bus. Furthermore, asset out in still greater detail further below, the electronic module 17also serves for the electronic addressing of the patch cables or theplugged optical-fiber connections.

In the case of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the plugmodules 11 can be connected to the electronic module 17 by means offlexible connecting cables 21. For reasons of overall clarity, theconnecting cables 21 are not shown in FIG. 2. Each end of a connectingcable 21 is respectively assigned a plug-in connector 22 or 23, whichcan be connected either to the plug module 11 or to the electronicmodule 17. If, to reduce costs, the plug-in connectors 22 or 23 are tobe omitted, it is also conceivable to attach the connecting cables 21permanently to either the plug modules 11 or to the electronic module 17and in this way dispense with the need for the respective plug-inconnector.

As FIG. 1 reveals, the electronic module 17 has altogether twelveplug-in connectors 22 for the connection of altogether twelve plugmodules 11 or splice modules. Twelve is given as the number of plug-inconnectors on the basis of the currently customary arrangement ofconventional systems. The number of plug-in connectors, and consequentlythe number of plug modules and/or splice modules that can be assigned toan electronic module, may lie between one and the number required forfully utilizing the distributing cabinet. For reasons of overallclarity, however, it should be endeavored to keep to a maximum ofsixteen plug-in connectors per electronic module. However, a number ofsuch electronic modules with sixteen plug-in connectors may be used,until the distributing cabinet or rack is fully utilized.

If the electronic module 17 is pushed together with the plug modules 11into a subrack (not represented any further), not only the edges 15 and18 of the plug modules 11 and the electronic module 17, respectively,coincide, but rather the electronic module 17 then also has a frontplate 24 with dimensions similar to those of the front plates 12 of theplug modules 11. The front plate 24 of the electronic module 17 may inturn also be assigned bores 25 in order to fasten the electronic module17 to a frame of the subrack in a way similar to the plug modules 11.

FIG. 1 reveals that not only the front plate 12 of the plug modules 11has bores 16, but rather that the supporting plate 13 of the plugmodules 11 also has bores 26. As a result, for example, spliceorganizers or strain-relieving devices for optical-fiber cables to beled away can be fastened to the supporting plates 13 of the plug modules11.

As FIG. 2 reveals in particular, arranged on the side of the supportingplate 13 that is opposite from the couplings 14 is a printed circuitboard 27, which is in connection with interrogation sensors 28 andcorresponding indicator lights 29, which are formed as LEDs. The factthat the printed circuit board 27, which serves for the electronicaddressing and localization of plugged optical-fiber connections, isarranged on the opposite side of the supporting plate 13 than are thecouplings 14 means that a spatial separation of the printed circuitboard 27 from the couplings 14 and the optical waveguides to be handledis achieved. This makes it possible to exchange a printed circuit board27 without having to interrupt optical-fiber connections established bymeans of the couplings 14.

The connecting cables 21 may be routed in any way desired from the plugmodules 11 to the electronic module 17. The length and cabling path ofthe connecting cables 21 are freely variable, whereby the flexibility ofthe patch cable management system is increased. The sequence in whichthe plug modules 11 and the electronic module 12 are pushed into asubrack is accordingly freely selectable. In this way, even not yetfully loaded subracks can be retrofitted with the patch cable managementsystem according to the invention in a simple way.

Power supply lines, address lines and data lines are integrated in eachof the connecting cables 21. The supply of electrical energy to the plugmodules 11 accordingly takes place via the power supply lines of theconnecting cables 21 and consequently via the electronic module 17. Bymeans of the data lines of the connecting cables 21, the plug modules 11can be connected to a data bus via the electronic module 17. The addresslines of the connecting cables 21 ensure the electronic addressing andlocalization of the plugged optical-fiber connections. It is accordinglyin keeping with the invention to relocate all the functions which areundertaken in prior-art patch cable management systems by the so-calledbackplane to a separate module, namely the electronic module 17. Thiscan then be handled like the plug modules 11.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a patch cable management system 30 on the basis of asecond exemplary embodiment of the invention. The exemplary embodimentof FIGS. 3 and 4 differs from the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2merely by the connection of the plug modules 11 to the electronic module17. To avoid repetition, the same reference numerals are therefore usedfor the same subassemblies. As FIGS. 3 and 4 reveal, in the case of thisexemplary embodiment the connection of the plug modules 11 to theelectronic module 17 does not take place via flexible connecting lines,but via a multipoint connector 31. The multipoint connector 31consequently carries a number of plug-in connectors 32. According toFIG. 3, the plug-in connectors 32 engage from the rear side in the plugmodules 11 and the electronic module 17. This configuration isadvantageous in particular if a clear sequence of the modules 11, 17 isdesired.

The exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 5 and 6 shows a furtherpossibility for the connection of the plug modules 11 to the electronicmodule 17. Also in the case of the patch cable management system 33according to the invention that is shown there, a number of plug modules11 are connected to the electronic module 17 via a multipoint connector34. As a difference from the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4,however, the plug-in connectors 35 of the multipoint connector 34 engagein the modules 11, 17 from the front side.

A further exemplary embodiment is shown by FIG. 8. Thus, FIG. 8 shows aplug module 11 with altogether twelve couplings 14 for opticalwaveguides or patch cables. FIG. 8 shows patch cables 42 which areinserted by means of corresponding plugs 43 into the couplings 14 of theplug module 11. For reasons of better overall clarity, only one patchcable 42 is shown.

The main difference between the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 8 and theexemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 6 is not the number of couplings 14but that the printed circuit board 27, which serves for the electronicaddressing and localization, is integrated in an electronic block 41,which can be mounted onto the outer side of the front plate 12 of theplug module 11. This electronic block 41 contains the already mentionedelectronic printed circuit board 27 and also the interrogation sensors28 and the indicator lights 29. Each plug module 11 is then connected toan electronic module 17 via the electronic block 41 or via theconnecting cable 21 acting on the electronic block. Mounted on eachpatch cable 42 or the plugs 43 of the same is a chip 44, servingtogether with the printed circuit board 27 for the electroniclocalization of the plugged optical-fiber connections. This creates asolution which makes it possible for an existing distribution panel thatis in operation to be subsequently upgraded. The connection between theelectronic block 41 and the localizing chips 44 is created by electricalcontacting (not represented in detail).

As already mentioned several times, all the exemplary embodiments sharethe common feature that the electronic module 17 serves for theelectronic addressing and the printed circuit board 27 of the plugmodules 11 or splice modules serve for the electronic addressing andlocalization of the plugged optical-fiber connections. Electronicaddressing is to be understood as meaning that all the couplings 14 ofall the plug modules or splice modules can be precisely identified withthe aid of a unique address. It must be possible to identify whichcoupling 14 is assigned to which plug module 11 and which plug module 11is assigned to which electronic module 17. Furthermore, the electroniclocalization is important to the extent that plugged connections ofoptical waveguides (patched connections), for example between two plugmodules 11, are uniquely identifiable.

As FIG. 7 shows, a processor 36 is assigned to the electronic module 17.A processor 37 is likewise respectively assigned to the plug modules 11,namely the printed circuit boards 27. Apart from the processor 36, theelectronic module 17 has a switch 38, a so-called DIP switch. Theprocessor 36 of the electronic module 17 and the processors 37 of therespective plug modules 11 communicate via address lines 39. Theprocessor 37, which is assigned to each plug module 11 on the printedcircuit board 27, forms an address for the couplings 14 of therespective plug module 11. For address formation, also assigned to theelectronic module 17 is the processor 36, which sends a bit patternwhich corresponds to an address within the subrack to each of itsconnected plug modules 11 via the address lines 39. In addition, theelectronic module 17 has the switch 38, with the aid of which thesubracks or the electronic modules 17 in the distribution panel, theoptical waveguide distribution cabinet, are allocated a number. Thisnumber is also sent to the processor 37 in the plug module 11. Theprocessor 37 in the plug module 11 sends these three components of theaddress with a status statement concerning the assignment of thecouplings 14 to a central computer, whereby ultimately the electroniclocalization is ensured. The flexibility of the arrangement is so greatbecause the plug modules 11 can be positioned as desired in the opticalwaveguide distribution cabinet with electronic patch cable localizationin exchange for conventional modules. The position is simply enteredduring the initialization of the plug modules in response to an inquiryby the central computer.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, the address lines 39are integrated in the connecting cables 21. In the exemplary embodimentof FIGS. 3 and 4 and of 4 and 5, the address lines 39 run inside themultipoint connectors 31 and 34, respectively. Since each plug module 11is connected to the electronic module 17 or to the processor 36 of theelectronic module 17 via a separate plug connector, each address line 39can be assigned a unique data packet, which can be read out by theprocessors 37 of the plug modules and from which a unique address foreach plug module 11 can be taken. The communication with the centralcomputer (not represented) then takes place via bus lines 40.

At this point it should be noted that it is also possible to dispensewith the switch 38, which allocates a unique number to each electronicmodule 17. The electronic module 17 is then allocated a unique numberfrom the central computer via the bus lines 40. This has the advantagethat the initialization process of the individual modules can besimplified.

List of Reference Numeral Designations

-   10 patch cable management system-   11 plug module-   12 front plate-   13 supporting plate-   14 couplings-   15 edge-   16 bore-   17 electronic module-   18 edge-   19 plug-in connector-   20 plug-in connector-   21 connecting cable-   22 plug-in connector-   23 plug-in connector-   24 front plate-   25 bore-   26 bore-   27 printed circuit board-   28 interrogation sensor-   29 indicator light-   30 patch cable management system-   31 multipoint connector-   32 plug-in connector-   33 patch cable management system-   34 multipoint connector-   35 plug-in connector-   36 processor-   37 processor-   38 switch-   39 address line-   40 bus line-   41 electronic block-   42 patch cable-   43 plug-   44 chip

1. A patch cable management system for an optical waveguide distributingdevice comprising; a plurality of subracks; each subrack receiving anumber of plug modules and an electronic module, the electric modulesupplying power to the plug modules and performing electronic addressingof the plug modules; the plug modules of each subrack being connected tothe corresponding electronic module via a multipoint connector; eachplug module comprising a processor; each electronic module comprising aprocessor and a switch; the processor of the electronic module and theprocessors of the plug modules of each subrack communicating via atleast one address line provided within the multipoint connector of eachsubrack; the processor of each plug module providing a first address foreach coupling of the respective plug module; the processor of theelectronic module of each subrack transmitting a bit pattern to theprocessor of each plug module associated with the respective electronicmodule, the bit pattern providing a second address for each plug modulewithin the respective subrack; the switch of the electronic module ofeach subrack providing a third address for each electronic module withinthe optical waveguide distributing device, the third address beingtransmitted to the processor of each plug module of the respectivesubrack; the first address, the second address and the third addressproviding a three part address for each coupling of each plug module,the processor of each plug module transmitting the three part addresstogether with a status statement relating to the respective coupling toa central computer, thereby providing an electronic patch cablelocalization.
 2. The patch cable management system as claimed in claim1, wherein the electronic module is configured to be inserted togetherwith the plug modules into the respective subrack.
 3. The patch cablemanagement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic moduleis configured to be connected to the plug modules of the respectivesubrack via flexible connecting cables.
 4. The patch cable managementsystem as claimed in claim 1, wherein each plug module has a printedcircuit board with an assigned processor for the electronic patch cablelocalization.
 5. The patch cable management system as claimed in claim4, wherein the plug module comprises one or more couplings and theprinted circuit board is spatially separate from the couplings of theplug module in such a way that the printed circuit board can beexchanged without interrupting plugged optical-fiber connections.